The Preacher Parable Pt II (From the Pulpit)

I have been compared to a preacher, because of my natural tendency to teach and lecture. I’ve always been that way, even as a child. As the oldest child of my family, I am “Kuya” to everyone around me. Even other martial arts teachers–inlcuding some who are older than I am–call me Kuya, which means “older brother”. For this, I apologize. But you know, this is America (or the internet), and if you don’t like what I write, you can always hit the -back- arrow and go to another website.

So anyway, I was thinking about the Preacher Parable (my last post), and thought about the similarity between people reading my posts and those listening to their preachers preach in the pulpit.

Have you noticed, that although the preacher is preaching about sin in general… you always seem to think he is talking directly to you? In fact, every single member of the congregation believes the sermon is about him, the listener. Why is that? I can answer these questions with a simple truth about insecurity:

Your weakness speaks the loudest when you are listening to truth.

When every martial artists saw the first UFC, did they not also see himself losing to a grappler?

When you watched Kimbo Slice beat people up in the backyards on Youtube, did you see yourself fighting a guy with his size and aggressiveness?

When you hear thekuntawman putting down FMA training methods without naming styles and people, did you hear him mocking your FMA style?

That’s the funny thing about having good fighting skill and ability. See, toughness on the inside usually gives you thick skin, and that prevents you from becoming easily offended. Ever see a great professional boxer get called out by another fighter? Even if he is being ridiculed and insulted in person by another fighter, the best fighters smile, shake it off, and deep down inside, he can’t wait to get that bootie in the ring. But let me share some deep inside information for you betting men: if you ever see a fighter lose it in the face-to-face, like the weigh-in… bet on the other guy, cause the one who can’t hold his water is getting his ass WHIPPED!

Why is that? Several reasons.

First, a man who cannot control his anger will not be able to control his emotions and his concentration when he is fighting. Unless he is just lucky and lands a finishing shot, he will not be able to focus and get the job done.

If he has skill and knows that his skill will pull him through, he will be more amused at the prospect of being called on the carpet by an inferior fighter. Little bothers him because nothing is a threat. Imagine if a 12-year old boy wants to fight you. Are you going to get mad and duke it out with him? Hope not. Most likely, you will send him on his way, or laugh it off and recommend that he finds someone else to fool with. The man with superior firepower knows that he is no danger and will not waste his time getting upset.

My wife is such a meany. She’s turned on a really funny movie, “I Can Do Bad All By Myself”, and I can’t concentrate. So I’ll let you think about this tiny little bit of information I’m sharing, and we’ll get back to it later.